Wind turbine

Wind turbines generate a variable amount of power directly proportional to the wind speed.

Acquisition

Wind turbines can be constructed once the Electricity research project has been completed. They require 100 Steel, 2 Components, 3,300 ticks (55 secs) of work, and a Construction skill of 4.

Summary

Wind turbines generate a variable amount of power base on the current wind speed, which in turn is based on ranges set by the current Weather. It produces a wattage directly proportional to the windspeed, with an output 2300W at 100% wind speed up to a maximum of 3450W at the maximum 150% windspeed. Wind direction is not a factor, so orientation of the turbines doesn't matter; they will spin equally well in any direction.

Exclusion Zone

The wind turbine's exclusion zone (7ˣ18 white rectangle) is visible when the turbine is selected; and when placing the wind turbine blueprint.It is vital to the wind turbine's function to keep the exclusion zone free from trees, mountains, buildings, roofs, and other tall constructions. The turbine's information window (inspection pane) will list any obstructions in its exclusion zone. Each tile that has an obstruction reduces the turbine's output by 20%. Solar generators or Growing zone (that are not set to grow trees) can be placed in the exclusion zone without blocking the turbine. In fact, this setup is an efficient use of space and prevents wild trees from growing in the obstructing the zone. Another option to prevent trees from growing is to construct some type of flooring there.

The exclusion zone of several turbines may overlap. As long as one turbine itself doesn't end up in the exclusion zone of another, they will work optimally.

Low-lying objects can be placed in the exclusion zone without hindering the turbine's operation. These include (but not limit to) the following:

Wind speed

Main article: Weather

Label	Time of year	Temperature range ^[1]	Wind speed	Wind speed modifier
Clear	Any	Any	None to Moderate	100%
Fog	Any	Any	None to Calm	50%
Rain	Any	0 - 100°C	Calm to Moderate	80%
Dry Thunderstorm	Any	Any	Moderate to Extreme	150%
Rainy Thunderstorm	Any	Any	Moderate to Extreme	150%
Foggy rain	Any	Any	None to Calm	150%
Hard snow	Mainly Winter	-270 to -0.5°C	None to Moderate	150%
Soft snow	Mainly Winter	-270 to -0.5°C	None to Moderate	150%
Flashstorm	Any	Any	None to moderate	100%

↑ Can continue even if the temperature exits the appropriate range, once started.

Analysis

It works day and night, unlike a solar generator which only works during the day. Wind turbines complemented by batteries can provide a stable supply of power since there wind-related disasters are exceptionally rare, unlike the solar generator's Eclipse event, and are limited to subsets of other dangers such as weather controllers. A wind turbine's only real drawback is its need for a large open area clear of trees, mountains, buildings, roofs and other tall constructions.

Without batteries it is significantly less useful - a solar generator can be relied on for a set period of the day, but a wind turbine may lose power midway through a bill on a powered table or during surgery under electric lights.

If a weather controller is deployed against the colony, the presence of wind turbines and the weather type chosen can significantly affect the outcome. If a Thunderstorm or Snow weather type is chosen, it may be beneficial to preserve the weather controller at all costs - the increased windspeed and, more importantly, the significantly improved consistency of wind turns turbines from merely a good source among generators to a geothermal generator equivalent that you don't need steam geysers to build. On the other hand, if the colony is dependant on wind turbines and fog is selected, destroying the controller should be prioritized as it will drastically reduce its output.

Tips

Colonists can build wind turbines without gaps between them this may save resources on power conduits. See Fig. 1 below if this point isn't clear.
Colonists can construct flooring over terrains with >0% Fertility in order to prevent plants from growing. This servers two purposes: to keep Exclusion Zone clean and to prevent spread of fire if non-flammable floors were used.

Gallery

Fig. 1

Version history

0.8.657 - Added
Beta 18 - width was increased from 5 to 7 tiles wide.
Beta 19 - power generation was buffed by 15%, from max. 3000W.
1.3.3101 - can now be walked through.
1.3.3117 - Path cost 0 -> 50.

Architect

Power: Power conduit (Hidden, Waterproof) • Power switch • Wood-fired generator • Chemfuel powered generator • Wind turbine
(research): Battery • Geothermal generator • Solar generator • Watermill generator • Toxifier generator • Bioferrite generator
(uncraftable): Vanometric power cell • Unstable power cell
Related: Ship reactor • Electroharvester

[1] Can continue even if the temperature exits the appropriate range, once started.

[1]